Hi SuperForest
I don’t know if you’ve been following Wimbledon yet this year – the first round matches can be overwhelming in number, filled – as a casual tennis watcher – with names and faces I’m unfamiliar with, and with the sporting distraction of the World Cup you’d be forgiven for holding over until the second week. But the last few days have showcased a match, a story, that I think bears repeating: whilst we were watching England vs Slovenia (or, ok, USA vs Algeria!) John Isner and Nicolas Mahut were already getting into what would prove to be the longest tennis match in professional tennis history.
After an epic 11 hours and five minutes and 182 games, 138 of those in the deciding set, the American 23 seed John Isner finally secured a win over France’s Nicolas Mahut in five sets, 6-4, 3-6, 6-7, 7-6, 70-68. As the guardian said: This is not a typo.
Isner, said “To share this with him was an absolute honour,” “This is something we’ll share forever.”
The match started on Tuesday, continued into Wednesday when, after 10 hours of play, it was halted due to lack of light last night at 59-59 in the final set. And today, after 4 and 3 hours sleep respectively, Isner and Mahut played on.
Yes, this has been called “an enormous waste of time“, but I disagree – is Isner likely to snatch the Wimbledon trophy? Were either of the two likely to? Probably not. Was it a beautiful game of tennis? With long fluid rallies? Not so much. But that isn’t the point. Aside from the record-breaking nature of the match (longest tennis match in Wimbledon and professional tennis history), aside from the feverish spectator interest conjured up by its epic proportions, how about this:
Two men, competing in their sport, the vocation to which they dedicate their days. In one of the most prestigious events in the calendar. Neither marked by the commentariat as a potential tournament victor. In the first round of that tournament. Both of these men, they fought, they gave everything, with passion and unsurpassed determination, unwilling to give up. Doing their best in this match, this point, this moment, regardless.
Will they become household names like Nadal or Federer? Like Sampras, Agassi, Becker, Bjorg, Nastase or McEnroe? Or will they live on as a trivia question in the pub quizes of the future? I don’t know. And I’m not sure that, for this, it matters. Yes, if it had been an 11 hour Federer-Nadal match it would’ve been more glamorous, but I don’t think there would have been more at stake, and I don’t think it would’ve been more moving.
The next time things are tough, the next time I feel like I’m fighting a losing or never-ending battle – I hope to ask myself whether that battle is worth it, to me. And if it is, regardless of eventual outcome, to stand strong. It’s not about fighting, it’s about not yielding, not giving up. Not about beating the other guy, but about being the fullest expression of my strengths I can be. Truly doing one’s best.
Isner deserves his victory, and both Isner and Mahut deserve to sleep soundly in the well-earned rest of those who strive. Bring on the rest of the tournament, I’m stocking up on strawberries and cream.
Love to Both,
Love to you, and, for the obligatory tennis pun:
Love-Love to that
P
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